


Rebirth: The Future Gohan Story

by Caomanure



Category: Dragon Ball
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-05-31 05:50:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19419748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caomanure/pseuds/Caomanure
Summary: To me, the history of Trunks is just filler to explain why this guy Trunks comes from the future to warn of androids.  Additionally, I just don't like the story Akira Toriyama wrote.  I think Gohan would have been stronger and better, but in a different way.  To that end I'm rewriting Akira's story.  I don't aim to significantly alter the main DBZ timeline with any events of the future timeline although it WILL change as a result.  This is merely to give Gohan and Trunks the love they deserve.





	1. Grief and loss

Gohan rushed back to his home as fast as he could. He could feel his weakened father's ki tanking further and further down. Right before he arrived, it completely vanished. Goku passed away before Gohan could say goodbye. Tears filled his eyes as did the family and friends left behind. A heart virus of all things takes down the mightiest Saiyan warrior in the universe.

The young boy knelt down by the bed his lifeless father laid upon. He clutched his father tightly, head upon his chest. Weeping inconsolably. Goku had died before, but this was different. Permanent. For no wish could bring someone back who died from natural causes. He knew it, and so did everyone in the room. It was a dark day indeed.

As the hours drew on, everyone knew it was time to lay him to rest but saying goodbye can be terribly difficult. Eventually they placed him into a grave marked as follows: "Here lies Son Goku. Father, Husband, Hero. May you never be forgotten." One by one friends left and eventually it was just Gohan and Chi Chi. They simply held each other. Drained, exhausted emotionally and physically.

That night they slept but were as weary when they woke the next morning as they were when they went to sleep the night. Neither wanted to speak. Getting up and doing anything was about as much as either could manage. Goku was a force to be reckoned with and a whirlwind of energy. Now that he was gone, where there was once an abundance of life, now felt like the void of death.

Life went on as such for the next week as they began to adopt a new normal. Gohan went back to his studies. Concentrating on them was difficult but it was better than wallowing in sorrow. Chi Chi carried on bravely for Gohan but wept when he was not in earshot. This would be their new normal. The immediately pain would die down but it wouldn't be the same.

\-- One Month Later --

There's a knock on the door and Chi Chi went to see who it was. Peering through a peephole, she could make out blue hair and a hat marked with a C in a circle. It was Bulma. She opened the door and greeted Bulma with a hug. "I've been meaning to drop by, but I knew you'd need some time. Can I come in?" Chi Chi nodded and Bulma sat her backpack down.

"What brings you over?" Chi Chi asked as she grabbed a mug. She had just finished brewing tea and poured some for the both of them. "Just checking in. Look, I've never been good at saying the right things. But if you want to talk about it, I'm here." Chi Chi sat silently for a moment sipping at her tea. "It's funny, ya know" she said. "I'd yell at him for almost every little thing he did wrong." She paused, staring at her tea. Almost as if she wanted to continue, but didn't know exactly what she wanted to say.

The next day, Chi Chi suggested to Gohan that perhaps it would do them some good to go out, perhaps to the city. Or maybe go to the family's camping spot. Gohan suggested the city sounded better. The family camping spot was too much like dad. He couldn't handle that just now. A new carnival was just setting up in the city anyway and some of the attractions were already available. They would have ice cream, games, rides, and more. All the distraction they could want.

To Gohan's surprise it turned out to be a great day. The first since dad passed. As the day drew out to a close the two of them sat on a park bench. Neither had really talked about it since he passed. Maybe it was time. "I miss him mom" Gohan said. "Me too, honey. Me too." They sat a bit longer and the cool wind felt rather nice. The sun was setting and the sky was orange, red, and shades between. A leaf fell on Gohan's lap. "Do you think he's... ya know. Okay?" Chi Chi smiled and said "Of course he is. If anyone can figure out how to be okay it's your dad." Her words sounded hollow to her at first, but then as she thought about it, she realized she believed it too. She finally felt a measure of closure. So did Gohan.

\-- 4 months later --

Life was good again. Goku being gone was still painful, but time is an analgesic. It dulls the pain. Gohan made trips out to see Master Roshi, Krillin, and Piccolo. It was like nothing had changed, and yet like everything had changed all at the same time. Piccolo still trained. Krillin was still Krillin. Yet Goku being gone made this place seem hollow. Still it was good to see friends. Besides his mother, this was his family and he was grateful to have them.


	2. The Destruction Begins

It's been 6 months now since Goku died. Gohan studies his books, Chichi tends to chores and life seems to go on. The grieving process is a strange thing. When the emotions are intense, all you want is to stop the pain. As time goes on and the pain lessens, you feel guilty for not being as sad. And somehow the return to normalcy can almost seem like an afront to the memory of the deceased.

Chichi always kept a brave face for Gohan. She afforded him a stability that she secretly did not have. "I have to be strong for him" she would think to herself. Gohan caught her more than once silently sobbing. He would leave the room and then call to her like he never left the room, giving her a chance to dry the tears. He knew she wanted to put on a brave face for him so he let her.

It was a sunny afternoon in the summer and Krillen came over. Gohan was over 2 weeks ahead of his lessons and hadn't taken any time to relax. Krillen asked Chichi if Gohan could go hang out, get some sunshine. She agreed readily. She knew he needed some diversion. The lessons were important but with Goku being gone, he had no distractions.

Gohan and Krillen flew off towards South City. Tien, Yamcha and Vegeta were heading there as well. A martial arts tournament was being announced and early signups were opening. Gohan was a little surprised at this. "Come on Krillen, you know I don't really care to do these" he protested. Before Krillen could answer, Vegeta interrupted while his back remained turned and his arms folded. "Figures the runt wouldn't want to fight. Not without Kakarrot around to impress."

Gohan wasn't shocked that Vegeta would say this but it was cold. Even for him. He was about to protest, but Tien shook his head at Vegeta and said "Not cool man, not cool." Vegeta let out a hmmph and said, "Don't act so surprised. He may be part Saiyan but he is no warrior. He only fights to defend, not for honor or pride." It still felt cold, but there was indisputable truth in his words. Krillen looked sheepishly at Gohan who just looked down at the statement. He knew it was true too.

At that moment a sudden and bright burst of light all but blinded the Z fighters. Dust, smoke and ash filled the air making it very difficult to breathe. Sensing their energies, Krillen grabbed Gohan and Yamcha and got out of the area. Vegeta and Tien followed suit, maintaining their distance. It took a few moments for their eyes to stop burning and their lungs to clear out but finally they regained their senses. They looked at the city and it was in flames. Building were crumbling and ash was falling like snow.

"What the HELL was that?" Vegeta snarled as the rest looked in shock at the ruins. Truth is, none of them knew. They couldn't sense any powerlevels large enough to do this other than themselves. Tien shook himself to awareness. "I have no idea" he said. A moment later Piccolo arrived. He was just as confused as the others. They were looking around and then Gohan pointed towards two objects in the distance. It looked like two people. One had a hand up, preparing what looked like was an energy ball.

Seeing what he was pointing at, Piccolo rushed towards them and Vegeta followed suit. Krillen looked at Gohan and said "Gohan, stay here and hide." Not wanting to get involved, Gohan looked for a safe place and dropped his power level. He didn't want to be detected. Krillen looked at Yamcha and Tien and nodded. They nodded back. No words were needed. They flew towards the beings who were intent on leveling the city.

Vegeta arrived first and Piccolo shortly thereafter. The being holding up the energy ball appeared to be a young man. Long black hair, thin, rather unremarkable in appearance. The strangest part was they couldn't detect any sort of power level coming from him. The other being was a young woman. Similar hair, but blonde. She too was rather thin and did not appear to be significantly powerful. Like the guy next to her, she did not emit a power level.

The young man took the energy back in and stared at Vegeta. Piccolo was incensed at the careless looks upon their faces. He snarled in disgust. The young woman said "The Namekian appears to be upset, 17". Vegeta angrily said "You will address me, the Prince of all Saiyans. Not the Namekian!" He continued "Who the hell are you and why the hell did you blast that city?" "The Saiyan wants answers 18. Care to answer?" She shook her head no. "Not really. You answer him if you want." 17 also shook his head. "Nope, I don't care to either."

"You DARE mock ME?? THE PRINCE OF ALL SAIYANS?" Vegeta lunged forward and attacked 17. The young man's head didn't even move. The look of shock that developed on Vegeta's face amused him. "Look at that 18. He thought he could injure me. How cute." "Very cute" she said, smiling at the situation. Enraged, Vegeta powered to maximum, went to kick 17, but 17 caught his leg and tossed him to the ground. "Don't tell me that's all you have, Prince."

The force from the impact onto the ground all but knocked the wind out of Vegeta. He could taste his own blood in his mouth and he was pretty sure at least one of his ribs was broken. "Filthy vermin" Vegeta muttered as he struggled to his feet. Piccolo began to take a fighting stance, but then Vegeta yelled "NO! This is MY fight"! He stood up and steeled his nerve. He didn't take them seriously before. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"He's tougher than I thought. I didn't think he'd be able to get up after that" 17 said to 18. "Yeah. Looks like you might get some fun out of this. Guess I'll have to settle for the green one." 18 moved in a flash to Piccolo, who was rather stunned by her incredible speed. "As weak as Vegeta is, my records indicate you are weaker, Piccolo. Can you at least try to be entertaining?" "But.... how? How do you know who I am?" Piccolo said in continued shock. "I guess I'm psychic" she said as she kicked Piccolo.

"Frieza didn't even hit this hard" Piccolo thought to himself as he fell to the earth. She'd kicked his side and sent him barreling like a torpedo straight into a building. He crashed through 10 floors before he finally stopped and was buried under tons of concrete. "You broke your toy 18" 17 said casually. "They don't make them like they used to" she said with a snark. Tien, Yamcha, and Krillen then began a team assault on the pair. Despite their best efforts they couldn't make a dent. After a few moments, 17 declared "My turn." With that he put a beam of energy through each one. And that was that.

"They really don't make them that well anymore" 17 said acknowledging her previous statement. The two had almost forgotten about Vegeta on the ground when they heard "FINAL FLASH". He'd been using their fighting against the others as time to charge the biggest attack he could make. The blast was so large, powerful, and fast that there was nowhere they could go. Vegeta looked up and observed a massive explosion as his attack hit them. He began to laugh as he reveled in his successful attack. After a few moments, the sky cleared and there they were. Unharmed.

"NO!" Vegeta thought as he looked up and saw the aftermath. "That was a direct hit! HOW DID THEY SURVIVE?" The truth was obvious. He was absolutely no match for them. He knew it. They knew it. 17 prepared a final blow to take Vegeta out. In that moment, an enraged Gohan burst onto the scene, furiously attacking 17. He was in a full blown anger boost. The kicks and punches were flowing but 17 easily dodged every single one. "This one has some real fight in him" 18 said. "Looks like you might need some help". 17 chuckled at the thought. "Oh yes 18, I'm way over my head. Please help me".

18 flicked Gohan's head with her finger, knocking him out. He landed on the ground with a thud. "Where was I, Oh yes. The Prince." Vegeta looked over at Gohan on the ground. He could sense his energy but it was only barely registering. "Hang in there brat" he thought to himself. He looked up at 17 and yelled "If you're going to do it then do it. I don't have all day." 17 smiled. "You're right. You don't". And with that, 17 put an end to the Saiyan Prince.

Although not dead, Gohan was out cold and barely breathing. 18 looked him over and said "All I did was flick him. Jeez. You'd think he could have handled it." "You don't know your own strength sis. Come on, let's go. I'm getting tired of this place." The two glanced over the battlefield once more. All were gone except for Gohan. And he was barely hanging on.


	3. His Greatest Fear

Gohan laid motionless on the ground for what seemed like ages. The androids have long since left and all signs of life from the city were now gone. The ones who survived the blast fled for their lives. The smell of destruction sat heavily in the air. The only sound was that of the wind howling through the city. It was the first time in ages people couldn't be seen out and about during the day since the city was founded.

Gohan finally began to stir. He was seeing double and his ears were ringing. He also had a splitting headache. He didn't even feel this bad after Frieza attacked him. Whoever those two were, they were insanely powerful. He could only recollect his brief battle in what seemed like still-frame motion. He couldn't remember how he get knocked out.

As his vision cleared up, he looked ahead and saw a green figure on the ground. Motionless. Throwing caution to the wind he darted over as fast as he could. "Piccolo? Piccolo wake up!" he said, shaking the Namekian. It was no use. Piccolo was now a corpse. He went one by one. First to Yamcha, then Tien, then Krillen, then Vegeta. All were gone. Cold. Lifeless. Reality started to sink in. "They're gone... they're all gone..." Tears welled up as he collapsed to the ground. He wept bitterly.

Up until this point in his life, there was always someone he could get help from. Sure his mom and Bulma were still around. He could also go to Master Roshi, but there was no longer someone stronger around to help out. There was no one to lean on. Those maniacs would still be out there somewhere and as weak as he was to fight against them, there was no one stronger. This was his greatest fear come to life. And he was now having to face it alone. But first thing's first. His friends didn't deserve to rot in the sun. He dug a grave for each one and laid them to rest.

The only thing he knew to do at this point was to go to Master Roshi. Perhaps the old turtle hermit would have an idea. Afterall, he was his father's first Master and he invented the Kamehameha wave. Gohan was still feeling a little dizzy and as such he couldn't fly very fast. What he didn't know is that he was out for almost 14 hours. As he flew he could see more and more destruction. Aimless destruction. There were large craters where nothing but wilderness had been. It's as if they took potshots at the earth as they flew. On the plus side, this would give him an idea as to where they went. But first thing's first. He had to get to the old man's island.

Finally he arrived and landed. To his surprise, it wasn't just the old man, but his sister was there as well. Fortune Teller Baba was also there. "Right on time. Here you go, it's my last one. Don't waste it." She flicked him a senzu bean. Master Roshi gave his sister a glance to remind her not everyone can see what's coming. "Oh, right. Fortune Teller Baba. Pleased to meet you Gohan." Gohan quickly gobbled the bean down and before he could ask his next question she already began to answer it. "The threads of time are not clear until things come to pass. Once the attack occurred, most possibilities showed you coming here. But the attack itself was one of innumerable possible events. Knowing all possible futures is just as helpful as knowing none."

Gohan looked at her thoughtfully and she decided to allow him to parse his question. "So you couldn't have known about this attack then?" She gave a sad smile to the boy. "Technically I did, but as I said. I can only see possible futures, not the probabilities of each one." Master Roshi spoke up saying "I gave up a long time ago trying to get her to explain this stuff to me. Just when I think it starts to make sense, I realize why it can't then I'm back to square one. But that's not why you're here. All my former pupils are now dead. I see now, it was a mistake ever taking a pupil again in the first place." Gohan looked at him quizzingly. "Nevermind, another story for another time."

Roshi invited the boy in and provided him with some food and tea. "Baba came over once she saw this future coming to unfold. Baba, you might want to take it from here." She rebalanced herself. "Right. I never know what event will happen next but once it occurs, it will either feel harmonious or it will grate against the strands of fate. Trivial occurrences of this happen all the time. Such is life when beings of free will roam to and fro. But this attack was like nails on the chalkboard. Something drastic has occurred and has significantly deviated earth from the path the fates set forth."

Gohan was trying to take this all in. "So, the attack wasn't supposed to happen?" he pondered, asking her as much as he was just restating it. "No way to know. Could have been a coincidence and something else occurred around the same time. But if I were to take a guess, I'd say yes. The attack wasn't supposed to happen." Gohan collected himself to refocus. "Ok, it wasn't supposed to happen. But that doesn't help us right now. Who were those two? I need to know who they are and how to beat them." Master Roshi nervously fiddled with his sunglasses. "I don't... know exactly."

"Master Roshi please! Surely you must know something?" Gohan's question was more of a plea. Master Roshi looked down and then back at Gohan. "I've been around a long time kid. I've seen and fought my share of hateful monsters. But as weak as your father was when he was a boy it took everything I had to defeat him. He was no older than you. Maybe a little younger. By the time you were 5 years old you were already capable of power that your father couldn't imagine even into his teens. And right now, you may pale in comparison to those two, but you are by far the strongest fighter alive on this planet."

Gohan knew this to be true, but hearing it out loud unnerved him further. Master Roshi continued, "Baba has already looked through all the strands where I teach you techniques like the evil containment wave. None work." Gohan realized an opportunity at hand. "Fortune Teller Baba, can you look for any possibilities where I can successfully take them down?" She shook her head. "None in the near future. But the near future is all I can see. Possibilities split off into infinite. It's like trying to read a never ending smaller and smaller set of lines on a vision chart. At some point, you simply cannot differentiate anymore."

Gohan went through idea after idea. What about Kami? When Piccolo died, so did Kami as they were two sides of the same person. Maybe Mr. Popo would know of something? All he knew would be the dragonballs which are now gone since Kami was gone. There were the resettled Namekians but they were fresh out of space ships to make a trip out there. There was the room of spirit and time, but even if he spent the full two years in there he still wouldn't be strong enough. Not without a training partner that could push him.

Roshi hesitated but came to his one and only idea. "It's my understanding that when a saiyan comes close to death and recovers, he receives a boost to his fighting strength. You may simply have to fight them over and over." Gohan was horrified at the thought. "That could take years Master, and that's if they don't kill me. And senzu beans aren't exactly abundant." Baba chimed in saying "there's one person that tends to skew my ability to see events more than most. That Bulma with her crazy inventions. I don't know that she can do anything to help you, but when I try to see those strands, I'm blind. Maybe you should pay her a visit."


	4. Chapter 4

Gohan requested Roshi and Fortune Teller Baba to join him in going to Bulma's place. As a woman of science she would be skeptical of anything Fortune Teller Baba said. Not that she didn't think that she couldn't tell the future but such things are by nature unscientific. Sometimes open to interpretation, sometimes vague. Still she knew Baba from her adventures with Goku when they were younger and if nothing else, she could ask Baba questions Gohan may not have thought of. The young boy had a lot on his mind. The death of the Z fighters, the burden of having to explain that to Bulma and then his mother. "Oh no" he thought. "I haven't been home to see mom yet. She's really gonna let me have it." Still he knew what he was doing now was more important no matter what she would think. Gohan flew with Master Roshi on his back while Baba flew on her crystal ball. "Why you don't use your nimbus cloud?" she asked Roshi mockingly. She knew full well it wouldn't carry him since he wasn't pure at heart. "I'm surprised your ball doesn't break from all the weight you put on" he retorted. This drew her ire, but Gohan interrupted them. "Come on guys, we have bigger problems. Can we PLEASE focus on those?" It was curious how it sounded more like a command than a request. "Fine. I'll deal with you later Roshi" she snapped with arms crossed.

The three make it to Bulma's place and the scene is horrific. The androids hit this area too. Most of Capsule Corp was in ruins. Bulma's home and the main Capsule Corp building were the only buildings not demolished in the area. Gohan descended quickly and put Roshi on the ground. He sped to the door and banged on it. "BULMA! BULMA ARE YOU IN THERE? BULMA! IT'S ME GOHAN!" He continued to knock and call out to her and she finally answered the door. She was panicked, terrified. "Gohan... oh Gohan... Oh thank goodness you're alright. I thought... well nevermind. Come in. Now." Gohan, Roshi, and Baba all go in. When Gohan was here earlier he was too out of it to realize how close to capsule corp the fight was. When he came to, he didn't notice it but the androids had nearly destroyed it. Bulma saw him go down, along with Vegeta, Piccolo, Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin. She sat them down. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Gohan. All of earth's defenders were gone, with the exception of Gohan. This all fell on him and she knew it was a mantle too big for him. For anyone. "Oh kiddo, I'm so sorry" she said and gave him a hug. Roshi then spoke up saying "Um, I hate to interrupt but we came because we need to figure out what to do about those two". "I know something needs to be done but what?" she said. "Vegeta couldn't even take them down. What can the rest of us do?"

That's when Baba spoke up. "Bulma that's why all three of us came. We don't know what to do. I've looked through the timelines and the realities that were branching off from here. Nothing good. But when I looked at ones involving you, I couldn't read those strands. Something tells me you might be the key to this situation." Bulma looked at Baba inquiringly. "Me? I'm not sure what I can do. Most of my workshops are in shambles. Even if I could come up with an idea I simply don't have the lab environments I need anymore." Roshi looked at her and said "Listen Bulma, this is not easy for any of us. What if we helped you clean up the labs. Maybe we can help you salvage equipment and set you up with one good, albeit make-shift lab. Could that help you?" She nodded. "Possibly. I still need to come up with ideas on what to try." She thought for a moment and looked at Baba and her crystal ball. "Baba, your crystal ball. How does it work?" Baba looked a little insulted. "If you're insinuating that I..." Bulma cut her off saying "No no, I'm trying to figure out..." and as if she couldn't wait for the words to finish forming in her head she ordered Roshi and Gohan to start clearing up debris and gave them equipment to try and salvage. "Baba. Come with me" she ordered and the two of them went to her one working lab."

"Ok, we're here. But what are you doing and what do you want with my ball?" Baba asked, feigning indignance. "You can see possible futures with this. If I can figure out a mechanism by which it works, we might be able to extend the capabilities. If we can do that, who knows what kind of advantages we can have!" Baba's face went to that of deep concern. "Bulma, listen. I understand you're a woman of science. By nature this is the kind of trouble-shooting that you do. But these are forces beyond the realm of mortals and should not be taken lightly." Bulma considered her words for a moment as she leaned her back on the wall. "Maybe you're right Baba. But with Piccolo gone, we have no dragonballs. No dragonballs, no wishes. If we can't do anything to improve our chances and they destroy humanity then what good is the reverence for the magics doing us?" Baba shook her head. "These are dark times indeed. Alright Bulma. What do you need me to do?"

Meanwhile, Roshi and Gohan are quickly removing broken pieces of building and debris from the various ruins. It took them quite a while but after digging through several buildings they managed to find most of what Bulma had on her list. "What do you think Master? Think this will be good enough?" Gohan asked as they looked at the stack of salvage they collected. "It'll have to be" Roshi said. "We've combed through just about every inch of this area and I'm not sure where else we could look." They carefully collected the equipment and brought it to the workshop . Once inside, they met with Bulma and let her know how it went. She nodded approvingly. "Good job" she said. "I wasn't expecting this much to be in tact." Roshi and Gohan both let out a sigh of relief. Gohan then asked Bulma if she had any ideas. She replied saying maybe, but now they needed to put focus on getting that makeshift lab set up. It would take some time. They would have to expand, knocking out at least of the walls and run power to the newly expanded section. As they were planning on getting started, the radio announcer interrupted the music. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we're receiving reports that East City is under attack! I repeat East City is under attack! If you're in or near East City you must leave immediately!"

Gohan began to tremble. He knew what that meant. He saw what happened. The damage, the destruction around him. He knew that there was nothing he could do to stop them, but maybe, just maybe, he could buy the residents of East City some time to run. Bulma saw Gohan began to tremble with clenched fists and teeth. "Gohan? NO! You... you can't go!" "She's right!" Roshi butted in. "You'll end up like the others! We NEED you Gohan!" He looked at them and tears were welling up in his eyes. "They killed my friends! They are destroying cities! Lives! I can't..." his aura began to visibly glow around him. "Fine. Be an idiot" Baba said. "I've seen how this goes. Wanna take a guess as to what happens to you? Here's a hint. You die." This shocked him back into reality for the moment. "You're... you're right. I just..." he sighed "I feel like a complete and utter failure". Baba then slapped the back of his head. "You're not a failure, you're 9 years old. Try being my brother's age and being useless." Roshi gave her a glare and she looked at him smugly, daring him to reply. "Listen, this is why we came to Bulma. You want to do something to make the situation better? Be available and do what she asks." Gohan nodded and he added "You're right Baba. I'm sorry." Her visage turned soft for once. "You're alright young one. You can be reasoned with. Puts you leaps and bounds ahead of most people I have ever interacted with."

Roshi, Gohan, Bulma and a few of her staff that survived began working to set up the new lab. They knew it wouldn't be pretty and it would take time, but hopefully it would be worth it. All Gohan could think of were the people needlessly dying because of how weak he was. He hated how this felt so much that he set in his mind that he would do whatever it took to change. He would become a true warrior like his father was. He would set aside his path as a scholar. He could no longer afford to be a pacifist to any degree. He allowed himself to feel this pain. Deeply. Intensely. It would be the fuel that would make him the strongest warrior the earth had ever known. He vowed this to himself and swore it on his father's grave. The days turned into weeks and really, they lost count. But finally the lab was set up. Bulma finally laid out their plan. They were going to see just how far science could expand the powers of Baba's crystal ball. What if they could do more than just look at possible futures? After all, magic is simply a situation of cause and effect where the means is completely unknown. She would pierce the veil. With the secrets of time they might just be able to beat this problem.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's where the divergence from what we know about this and other timelines really starts happening. My initial statement is that the main dbz timeline won't change significantly. I will try to make that happen, but I also don't want to limit my story. Hopefully you can forgive a larger than stated divergence.

The makeshift lab was completed some time ago and Bulma has been studying the way Baba's crystal ball works and her ability to read it. Meanwhile, Gohan went back home. He needed to tell Chichi what happened and tell her of his decision to no longer study and become a scholar. He made his way home and he stood in front of the door for several minutes. He had been thinking about how he would break the news but it wouldn't go well no matter what he said or how he said it. He knew this and this is what kept him from going in. "Snap out of it Gohan" he said to himself and then opened the door.

"GOHAN! OH MY BABY! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I THOUGHT... I HEARD ABOUT THE ATTACKS... OH MY BABY" Chichi couldn't get the words out fast enough. She ran to him, held him and sobbed. He hugged her back, but he felt no relief. He knew his news would crush her and he hated to do it. "Mom... I was indeed there when the duo attacked." She finally let go of him and looked at him. "Were you hurt? You look okay! Where have you been?" Gohan said nothing but the expression on his face said it all. "You fought them didn't you?" she asked. "Tried to. Got my skull cracked for my trouble. I'm okay, I had a senzu bean" he said calmly. "Mom, I have something to tell you."

She knew it wasn't good news and she didn't want to hear it. "Well whatever it is, it can wait. You're home now! You must be hungry! I know how you can really pack the food away and you absolutely must be starving! Go wash up, I'm going to start cooking!. I..." Gohan stopped her mid-sentence. "Mom, I have something I have to tell you." She shook her head no. "No, no no no. Whatever it is, no. I don't want to hear it. You're to go wash up now while I prepare supper. Go now." Gohan looked down. "Mom I..." Chichi lost it. "NO! FIRST I LOSE MY HUSBAND AND NOW MY BABY BOY WANTS TO GO AND GET HIMSELF KILLED! I WON'T STAND FOR IT! NOT NOW NOT EVER!"

Chichi ranted for minutes and then collapsed. "Mom, I know you don't want to hear what I have to say, but I have to tell you." Chichi looked up with tears in her eyes. "Tell me what? Tell me that you have to do something about those two? What are you going to do Gohan? They killed Vegeta and he was lots stronger than you! I heard the news. I know Vegeta and the others fought them and died. I thought you were dead too!" Gohan let her words hang in the air for a minute. "Mom if I don't do something there won't be anything left. No cities, no people, no friends, no you, no me. I will no longer study. I will no longer be idle. I must figure out a way to defeat them or everything and everyone I love will be gone."

By this point, Chichi was emotionally exhausted and physically drained from her tantrum. "Gohan you have a choice. Either go wash up for supper or leave and never come back. I can't deal with the worry of whether or not you come back to me." Gohan was stunned by her statement. He hadn't considered the hell she was going through with worry over him. He knew full well he couldn't go back to the way things were. He just didn't want to hurt her. "Mom I love you more than you could ever know. That's why I can't stay here. I hope with all my heart that you can somehow find peace. Goodbye". And with that he walked out and flew away. 

Turns out it's hard to weep and fly at the same time. Gohan landed on a small plot of land and cried his heart out. He was cutting his mother out of his life and it hurt just as much as if she'd died. He should know, he went through this with the death of his father. But her wouldn't be deterred. His father wouldn't sit idly by and let anyone destroy the earth no matter how powerful they were. He was the son of Goku and would become the defender the earth needed. With his heart and mind resolved, he dusted himself off and flew back to Bulma's place.

Upon arrival, it was clear that Gohan had been crying. Bulma felt so bad for him, but she didn't know what to say. She had good news for him and thought it might be a good time to show him. She explained that while it's unclear exactly how or why, the crystal ball utilizes a set of frequencies in very specific ways to not just parse timelines, but rather it was a gateway to the multi-verse. She explained that what Baba detected as branching timelines were actually pathways in which one universe diverges away from another. For every decision we make, there is a universe in which the opposite decision is made. She isolated the frequencies and could now hone in on any pathway that has been made, is being made, and to a limited degree future pathways. Baba felt like a child in Bulma's presence, but couldn't help but be amazed at her talent.

Gohan was in utter shock. "This is great Bulma, but how can we use this?" She nodded saying "That's what I'm trying to figure out. There's got to be a universe in which your father is alive. And if there's anyone that would know what to do it would be him. I just need to figure out how to manipulate the frequencies." Gohan caught on to what she was saying. "Like a radio wave receiver" he declared. "Exactly, but something that will work with these frequencies. I have to study them further." She said decidedly. She turned to face him and got down on one knee. "It didn't go well with your mom did it." He shook his head no. "She told me not to come back." She felt her heart drop for him. "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry" she said and grabbed his hands. I don't think she means it." He shook his head. "Maybe not, but she doesn't need me popping in and out reminding her she could lose me all the time."


	6. Chapter 6

17 and 18 returned to Dr. Gero's lab. He greeted them politely and they returned the same polite greeting. "So, did you hit the locations I asked you to hit?" 18 rolled her eyes and sarcastically said "Yes, father!". He nodded, ignoring the sarcasm in her response. "Good, good. I just don't understand. Goku always showed up when things went down. You sure he wasn't in the group you initially killed?" 17 then replied in a very annoyed manner "For the thousandth time old man, he wasn't there." "It just doesn't make sense" Gero muttered. "You blasted enough locations and destroyed enough things. Where is he?" 

18 half jokingly said "Maybe he's dead". Dr Gero paused for a moment. Goku being dead hadn't occurred to him. "Goku dead?" He considered it for a moment. "No, he can't be dead. Who could bring him down besides my androids? No, he's out there. He probably knows he's no match for you so he's hiding." 17 shook his head no. "No. No, Goku doesn't hide. My data gives that possibility less than a 1% chance of being correct." Gero snarled back "I never said it was likely. But Goku being dead, what does your numbers say about that?" 17 shrugged "I dunno old man. Not enough data. There's a 10 year gap in information. Too many things could have happened. How did you lose track of him anyway?" "Never you mind about that. If I knew the answer to that I wouldn't have asked you would I?"

18 smiled a funny little smile. 17 noticed and asked her "What's funny sis?" She replied "I think we're going about this the entirely wrong way. The kid I flicked to the ground. My data suggests that was his son. What if I didn't kill him?" 17 wasn't following her. "You saw him not moving". "Sure, but he's half Goku. Even as weak as he was, I don't think that would have killed him. Hurt him badly, sure. Kill? No I don't think so." 17 shrugged "Ok, so why didn't you say something then?" "I dunno, he doesn't matter. At least not until now." Gero then looked over and asked "So what are you saying 18?"

"Isn't it obvious? Do I really need to spell it out? If he is alive, we can use him to draw out Goku. If he's alive and out there he won't let his baby boy die." 17 then said "Sure but you're forgetting one thing. Goku wasn't with them when we attacked. Why wouldn't Goku come out to protect his son then?" 18 thought about it for the moment. "That's the one piece I can't put together. Maybe he IS dead." 17 then chimed in saying "OR maybe he's not strong anymore. Maybe he is sick". Gero then said "Ok so Goku is either dead, sick, or otherwise indisposed. Random destruction isn't drawing him out. Capturing the brat won't be a guarantee of getting to him either. I only have one choice left.

This piqued 17's curiosity. "Oh, and what's that?" Dr. Gero walked over to the case containing android 16. "Really? You want to bring that out the mothballs? Didn't you say, and I quote "He has the IQ of a plant"? Gero replied "I'll admit he isn't big on critical thinking. But if there's one entity I can rely upon to have a vested interest of seeking and finding Goku it'd be him. Let's face it. The two of you may be great at random destruction but you don't have the attention span to achieve the end goal." 17 chuckled "You hear that 18? He knows about your clothes shopping." 18 just rolled her eyes and flipped him off. 

Dr. Gero activated android 16's start up program. The android's processes activated and within moments he stood up. "Awaiting Orders" 16 declared as he looked at Gero. "16, you're to help 17 and 18 locate and destroy Goku". 16 nodded. "I will comply". 17 snickered at 16. "Really Gero? Really? Is it even sentient?" Gero snapped "I've had enough of your snark! He doesn't need to have an extensive personality in order to accomplish the task. Now shut up and go with him and DO YOUR JOB!" This time 18 took exception. "Listen Gero, we have complied so far because it has amused us to do so. Until now." She looked at 17 and he nodded. With that she blasted Gero, and that was the end of him. 16 appeared confused. "Error, Gero is dead. Command error. Input required" 18 responded to him saying "We're still going after Goku. But not because he said so. Because we want to."


	7. Chapter 7

During the weeks in which Bulma spent time researching time/pathway frequencies, the Androids flew from place to place looking for signs of Goku. They went to his Grandpa Gohan's old location, not there. They went to Kame house, but no sign of Goku. They did not have Goku and Chichi's residence on file and didn't know to go there. Their searching quickly gave way to boredom. 16 would remind them of their goal and that kept them on track for a while, but 17 and 18's boredom led to irritation.

18 spotted a small town with a shopping center. "CLOTHES!!" she thought. 17 saw her and said "Let me guess. You want to go shopping." She flew down towards the shopping center. 16 looked at 17 confused. 17 shrugged. "She wants to go shopping. Guess that's what we're doing." By this point, 16 was beginning to understand he would not be able to follow the orders in a linear method so he adjusted to simply do what the others did while maintaining his end goal. When they landed she gave 17 the evil eye. "If I like this place, you do NOT destroy it. Good fashion is hard to come by." 17 just rolled his eyes. "I mean it" she said. "Okay okay, fine". 

Meanwhile at capsule corp, Bulma made a breakthrough. She figured out how to hone in on specific frequencies, tune in, and even broadcast. She found a pathway to a universe where her counterpart was doing a very similar experiment and made contact. In doing so, the two began to work together. If 1 Bulma was brilliant, 2 were incredible. They performed test after test after test. While they couldn't cross over, they figured out how to project an control an image of themselves in the other universe. Sort of like VR type broadcast. Bulma broadcasted herself into her counterpart's universe. "Absolutely incredible" she said as she stood face to face with herself. Her counterpart couldn't help but notice how tired and weary she appeared to be. 

The Bulma from the other universe paused for a moment and realized something. "Wait, our Piccolo and Kami are still alive. We have the dragonballs. Maybe we can help you!" The Bulma from this universe had been so tired and focused on the project she hadn't considered that. "Oh my gosh, you're right! Bulma, is there any way you can get the dragonballs and use a wish? Either get rid of the androids or wish for Gohan to have enough power to beat them. Something! Anything! I'm so tired...." The other Bulma nodded. Yes, I will have the guys hunt them down. I'll reach back out to you soon." With that the Bulma from the other universe disconnected. This Bulma then stopped and looked around her. It was nice seeing her old lab not in pieces. This one was okay for what she needed, but it was pure rubbish compared to her old setup. She hadn't slept in 2 days. She went to her room and collapsed.

Meanwhile, Gohan convinced Master Roshi to train him. The old man felt utterly ill equipped to do so, but there wasn't much else to be done. If nothing else, he could teach Gohan some techniques that could provide him an advantage in battle. He taught him things he knew like the After Image technique. It probably wouldn't be of much help but knowing it would be better than not. He taught Gohan various battle stances and helped him hone his fighting skills further. It was all futile in the old man's opinion, but Gohan's determination would not be satisfied without trying. 

Roshi had also been holding back on one other possible option. The ultra divine water Goku took as a kid. Goku was the only one who ever drank and lived. No human is said to be able to survive it. Goku was a saiyan and it was hard on him. Gohan was half human. Would he survive it? He couldn't help but admire the youngster's determination, but if Gohan drank that water it could kill him. He wouldn't rule it out, but he also didn't want to suggest it. Not just yet. Maybe he would have a breakthrough with Gohan. Maybe Bulma would figure something out. Either way, it wasn't time. Not yet.

A few hours had passed since Bulma made contact with her counterpart and she was out cold. Out of the dead and quiet of the night, she heard her counterpart calling out to her. Throwing on her labcoat she rushed over to the room. "I'm afraid I've got not so good news. The dragon cannot grant wishes for another universe. Only this one. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about that." The news hit Bulma like a ton of bricks. "Don't look so glum. When I found that out I went to Goku to brainstorm ideas and I've come up with something absolutely brilliant!" Bulma looked up and awaited the news with anticipation. "I've drawn up plans to build something incredible. It'll be a chamber where if you're in the chamber, you'll be solid on the other side. It'll require you to build the same chamber with the same capabilities. When activated, whoever is in the room will be solid and real to the other. Our Goku can train your Gohan!"

Bulma stared in disbelief at the incredible breakthrough this Bulma came up with. "This... this can work?" she said incredulously. "Of course it can silly. I'll send you all the plans. You have to keep this chamber safe from those monsters. Maybe consider building underground." "That's a good idea, but it'll take time." Her counterpart nodded and said "I understand. Do what you must to get it working then contact me again. Bulma out!" And with that her counterpart faded. This would be a monumental task, but it was literally their best hope.


	8. Chapter 8

Gohan and Roshi had been spending their time at Kami's outlook with Mr. Popo. Roshi had Gohan keep his power level very low so that the two of them could train. It didn't increase his power, but it really helped to hone his fighting skills. No blasts, no flying. Pure skillset training. Gohan hadn't realized just how much he relied on his power and energy blasts to compensate for his mediocre fighting skills. The old man fought like a young man with the knowledge of a true Master. Slowly but surely he learned how to dodge, block, and attack with much greater skill and precision. The constant exercise was also getting him into much better shape as well. Gohan and Roshi both had new bruises every day but it was invigorating for both.

Bulma had given Gohan a beacon to call him when she needed him to get back to her and it was now going off. Gohan and Roshi had just finished a training session and could now hear it going off. "I guess Bulma needs me. Wanna come?" Gohan asked Roshi. "Uh, sure kid. I don't have anything else going on anyway." Roshi got on Gohan's back and the two went to Bulma's lab. It had been a couple months since Gohan had been back to Capsule Corp. She'd told him she'd let him know when she had something good so this must be big. Gohan was excited and nervous. He was going to fast that Roshi nearly fell off.

The two dropped down in front of Capsule Corp and rang the bell. Bulma answered the door with a huge and tired smile. Come in kid. I've got something to show you. Bulma, Gohan and Roshi proceeded into the building and made it to a hatch in the floor. "What's this Bulma? A basement?" She laughed. "It's a LOT more than that!" With that she opened the hatch and led them in. They went down a staircase and before them was a massive underground facility. There was a control room that peered into the open area. He'd never seen a room so big. "So what do you think?" She asked proudly. Gohan stared at her in amazement. He answered with a question. "What is this place Bulma? With a very satisfied smile she said "Your new training facility, silly!" Gohan's eyes got big. "Training facility?" It was a lot to take in. "What does it do?" he asked.

Bulma took him and Roshi to the control panel. "This place does LOTS of things. Target practice, projectile dodging practice, gravity training and more." She showed him the full layout. "But in of itself this would only get you so far. Afterall, you'd have no one one to spar with. So, with the help of Baba's crystal ball, I was able to do something EXTRA special. Come with me." The three took the door from the control room into the main area. She hit a button panel. After a minute or two it changed from red to green. "Bulma is something supposed to happen? I..." Gohan went slack jawed. As he was speaking, his father Goku stood in front of him. "D...daddy?" Gohan heard himself ask. "It's me Gohan, it's dad!" Tears filled the young boy's eyes as he rushed to Goku and hugged him tightly.

Between sobs, Gohan poured his heart out to Goku. The deaths of his friends, him not being around, and then it finally dawned on Gohan that Goku was dead. How was this Goku? He pulled back and looked at him. "Wait, you're supposed to be dead" he said as he wiped tears from his eyes. "The version of me that you knew IS dead. I am from a reality where the heart virus did not kill me. Your Bulma found our Bulma. They couldn't use our Dragonballs to make a wish for your universe. It was beyond the dragon's power. So instead the Bulmas made this chamber. When you and I are in here together, we can train together. I will do whatever it takes to help you get strong enough to beat the androids son!"

"Androids?" Gohan asked curiously. "Yes son, those two that you met, they are androids made by Dr. Gero. He made them to get revenge against me. Unfortunately in your universe I'm dead. Without anyone to oppose them they aren't content to sit back and do nothing. They'll destroy everything." This got Gohan's curiosity. "Revenge dad? What did you do?" Goku sighed. "When I was a boy I fought and defeated Dr. Gero's red ribbon army. He was determined to grab power by any means, including hurting innocent people. I couldn't let him do that. He didn't take it very well. He began sending androids. Not all were bad, I made friends with one I called Eighter. But the two you know, they are pure evil. We have lots of work to do to get you where you need to be to defeat them."

The two stood back up and Gohan was just so happy to see his dad again. He had the biggest smile on his face. Goku couldn't help but smile back. What he wasn't telling his son is that in his universe, Gohan was the one who caught the heart virus. It was a very emotional moment for him to see his son alive. It's a very hard thing for a parent to lose a child. It's no exception for Saiyans. But he couldn't put this burden on him. He would keep a straight face and say nothing about it, but holding this in was a monumental task. Even for a super saiyan.

"First thing's first son. I need to feel your powerlevel. I need to know how strong you are right now. Raise your power as high as you can for me." Gohan turned and looked at Bulma and Roshi who now were in the control room. Bulma used the microphone and said "Don't worry Gohan, you can power up and it won't be a problem for anything in this room!" With that, Gohan nodded and began raising his power. He quickly rose in power. "25,000... 50,000..." Bulma said as she read the monitor. After several moments, he capped around 250,000. Goku nodded. "Wow son, you're a little stronger than you were on Namek. Have you been training?" Gohan blushed. "Yes! With Master Roshi. He's been helping hone my fighting skills for a few months." Goku looked up at his old master through the window. "That's Master Roshi alright!"

Then Goku got a serious look on his face. "You're strong son, but compared to the androids, you're nothing. They would stomp Frieza within minutes. We have a lot of work to do. But hey, I'm up for the challenge if you are son!" Gohan nodded. "I am!" Gohan stated emphatically. "Right son! The first thing we have to do is some strength training. You're stronger than I was when I used the gravity chamber on the way to Namek. Let's start you at 200x earth gravity. It'll be pretty heavy, but it needs to be." Bulma then said "Gohan, do you think you can handle it?" He nodded. "Dad said do it so we do it". She cranked up the gravity and it was all Gohan could do to not collapse.


	9. Chapter 9

16, 17, and 18 have now been on a path of destruction for a year. The major attacks being few and far between, they seem to spend more time on antics and pranks than anything else. While 16 would prefer to do nothing but search for Goku, 17 and 18 seek diversion and entertainment. Truth be told, if there were exciting things to constantly entertain them, they wouldn't be destructive. Well, they'd only be minimally destructive. 18's love for clothes shopping seemingly knows no bounds. 17, on the other hand, only enjoys toying with people. He attacks vehicles, misses people on purpose just to scare them. Everything you'd expect from a delinquent with no rules. He's tried alcohol, but it doesn't seem to affect cyborgs like it does humans. It only slows down processing speed, no other side effects.

His mood has been increasingly short tempered. Nothing is amusing him anymore and it's stressing him out in a major way. Constantly snapping at 18, getting moody and depressed. 18 had been giving him space but she's about had enough. "Alright 17, spill it. What's your problem." He glared at her, then turned away ignoring the question. She walked over and sat down. "Come on brother, what's wrong?" She put her arm around him. "I'm frustrated. It's been a year. We've found no sign of the brat. No sign of Goku. No sign of ANYTHING!" She squeezed him a little. "Why is that a problem? We don't have to listen to Gero. We don't HAVE to do anything!" He sighed. "I know 18, it's just... I'm getting bored. Bored of everything. The shopping, the target practice, the... everything." She thought for a minute. "Come on, let's go". "Where" he asked in a somewhat annoyed manner. "Stress relief" she said. "We're going to North City."

Back at Capsule Corp, to this point, Gohan's been training with Goku for a few months. His strength has drastically increased between the gravity training, sparring with Goku, etc. He was consistently reading power maxes around 1.4 to 1.6 Million with brief bursts nearly hitting 2 Million. It was great, but Goku knew he had a very long way to go. He'd also need to become a super saiyan. But could he? He was only a half saiyan. Maybe half saiyans can't achieve that form. Doesn't matter, he was going to try to get him there anyway. For now it was time Gohan learned how to use the Kaioken technique. It took Gohan a couple tries, but he quickly mastered it. "Alright son, when I first learned this I could only hit a x4 multiplier. At your strength and stamina, you should be able to handle a x20. I want you..." and with that, an emergency broadcast cut him off.

"Ladies and Gentlmen, this is an urgent broadcast. The 2 people that we learned are androids have been spotted heading to north city! I repeat, the androids are headed to north city! If you are there or are in the vicinity, I urge you to leave immediately!" Gohan's anger flared and so did his ki. "I HAVE TO STOP THEM!" Before Goku could stop him or object, Gohan immediately rushed out. He couldn't do anything about the last major attack, but now? He was WAY stronger. He felt he could not avoid this. His conscious simply would not allow for it. He flew as fast as he could and saw a bright flow descend upon the city. He was too late. They'd already started. Gohan yelled "Kaioken" and with that sudden momentary burst of speed, he made it to them in almost 5 seconds. 

18 caught a glimpse of him out the corner of her eye and turned to look. "Oh my god. 17, look. It's the kid I flicked with my finger last year. My my, aren't you the tough little guy. Are you here to do something about us?" The biggest smile came across 17s face. "YES! This is what I have been waiting for! 18, I love you. This is going to make my day." Gohan was enraged. He saw the remnants of the android's handiwork. He saw the death, the destruction. It was too much. His energy shot up like a rocket. "Yes, kid, yes! Give it EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!" 17 said with delight. "16, do not get involved!" The android nodded and said "Understood." 18 then said "I hate to ask, but I'm guessing you want me to stay out of it?" 17 looked at her and said "This one is ALL mine!" "Alright 17, but don't kill him. If you do you won't have anything else to play with." He stopped for a moment and looked at her. "You're right sis. You're absolutely right."

Gohan was absolutely incensed. "I... nggghhh... am no... nggghhh plaything!.... I...nggnnnn am... SON GOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" And with that he released the power of the Kaioken x20 and his power skyrocketed to 40 million. Gohan rushed towards 17 and performed the after-image technique. Using the confusion of the moment he kicked 17's head sending him flying into a building. "Need some help brother?" 18 said mockingly. 17 got up and yelled "NO! HE'S MINE!" but Gohan had prepared a kamehameha and sent it right at 17. Not that he couldn't handle it, but he was shocked at the amount of power the kid was putting out. 17 redirected the beam to space with relative ease. And by this point, Gohan could no longer maintain the Kaioken. His muscles bulged and he writhed in agony. "So this is what that feels like" he thought to himself. 17 approached him smiling and simply said "My turn".

17 began brutally attacking the youngster. He hit WAY harder than dad did and the pain he was in from the Kaioken was doing him no favors. 17 put a knee into Gohan's gut knocking the wind out of him. For good measure he decided to crack a few of Gohan's ribs then sent him crashing into the ground. He then prepared a rather large blast. 18 came over to him. "17, I don't think he can fight anymore. You do this and you won't be able to play with him again." He calmed down and pulled the energy blast back. "You're right. GOD that was fun though! Can't wait until he heals up and tries again." With that, the androids finished leveling the city. Thankfully Gohan's diversion bought many people time to leave. The loss of life was minimal. City residents saw him do it as they fled, some took pictures. In their eyes he was a hero, and they would tell everyone they meet from here on out.


End file.
